Cleaning apparatus accessory tool having roller assembly

Abstract

A roller assembly tool for a cleaning apparatus that includes a suction assembly and a liquid delivery system includes a support body carrying a portion of a liquid conduit and a portion of at least one airflow passage. The liquid conduit is configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid delivery system and the portion of the at least one airflow passage configured to be in fluid communication with the suction assembly. The support body includes first and second arcuate guides that define an open end. A roller is rotatably coupled to the support body proximate the open end. At least one inlet of the at least one airflow passage is defined between at least one of the first and second arcuate guides and a surface of the roller. An outlet of the liquid conduit is defined between the first and second arcuate guides proximate the roller.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   a suction assembly disposed within the housing;   a fluid delivery system disposed within the housing, the fluid delivery system having a supply tank for housing a liquid;   a wand coupled to the housing via an accessory hose; and   a roller assembly selectively coupled to the wand, the roller assembly including:
 a support body having at least one guide; 
 a roller rotatably coupled to the support body, wherein the at least one guide follows a curvature of the roller, and wherein spacing between the at least one guide and a surface of the roller defines at least one inlet for providing a vacuum effect along the surface of the roller, the at least one inlet being in fluid communication with the suction assembly via at least one passage extending through the support body and the wand; and 
 a fluid delivery assembly defining an outlet proximate the roller, wherein the outlet is in fluid communication with the fluid delivery system via a conduit that extends through the support body and the wand. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet spaced from a second inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first inlet is defined in a fore position relative to the roller and the second inlet is defined in an aft position relative to the roller. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one guide includes a first arcuate guide and a second arcuate guide extending in opposing directions, and wherein the first and second inlets are defined between the first and second arcuate guides of the support body and the surface of the roller, respectively. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the roller includes a first portion constructed of a first material and a second portion constructed of a second material, and wherein the first material has a greater surface tackiness than the second material for capturing at least one of lint and hair. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the second portion defines a grid pattern over the first portion. 
     
     
         7 . A roller assembly tool for a cleaning apparatus that includes a suction assembly and a liquid delivery system, the roller assembly tool comprising:
 a support body carrying a portion of a conduit and a portion of at least one airflow passage, the conduit configured to be in fluid communication with the liquid delivery system, wherein the portion of the at least one airflow passage is configured to be in fluid communication with the suction assembly, and wherein the support body includes first and second arcuate guides that define an open end; and   a roller rotatably coupled to the support body proximate the open end, wherein at least one inlet of the at least one airflow passage is defined between at least one of the first and second arcuate guides and a surface of the roller, respectively, and wherein an outlet of the conduit is defined between the first and second arcuate guides proximate the roller.   
     
     
         8 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a fluid directing feature disposed within an interior of the support body between the outlet and the surface of the roller to direct liquid from the outlet to the surface of the roller.   
     
     
         9 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 7 , wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet and a second inlet, and wherein the at least one airflow passage includes a first airflow passage in fluid communication with the first inlet and a second airflow passage in fluid communication with the second inlet, and further wherein the first inlet is on an opposing side of the roller relative to the second inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 7 , wherein the roller includes a first portion constructed of a first material and a second portion constructed of a second material, and wherein the first material has a first surface tackiness that is greater than a second surface tackiness of the second material. 
     
     
         11 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged in a repeating pattern along a longitudinal extent of the roller. 
     
     
         12 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion defines projections and the second portion defines valleys between adjacent projections. 
     
     
         13 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion defines ribs extending from a first end of the roller to a second end of the roller, and wherein the second portion defines strips between adjacent ribs, and further wherein the ribs protrude relative to the strips. 
     
     
         14 . The roller assembly tool of  claim 13 , wherein each rib has a first rib end proximate the first end of the roller offset from a second rib end proximate the second end of the roller, and wherein each of the ribs defines at least one curve between the first rib end and the second rib end. 
     
     
         15 . A roller assembly accessory for a cleaning apparatus that includes a suction assembly and a liquid delivery system, the roller assembly accessory comprising:
 a support body having guides defining an open end; and   a roller coupled to the support body and positioned between the guides, the roller including:
 a base having an outer surface constructed of a first material having a first surface tackiness; and 
 a web feature coupled to the outer surface, wherein the web feature is constructed of a second material having a second surface tackiness, the second surface tackiness being less than the first surface tackiness. 
   
     
     
         16 . The roller assembly accessory of  claim 15 , wherein the first material is at least one of a silicone material and a rubber material and the second material is a plastic material. 
     
     
         17 . The roller assembly accessory of  claim 15 , wherein the web feature extends over an entire surface area of the outer surface of the base of the roller. 
     
     
         18 . The roller assembly accessory of  claim 15 , wherein the web feature defines a grid pattern forming columns and rows of openings exposing the outer surface of the base of the roller. 
     
     
         19 . The roller assembly accessory of  claim 15 , wherein the web feature defines cutouts arranged in a linear pattern, and wherein one end of the linear pattern of the cutouts is offset from an opposing end of the linear pattern of the cutouts. 
     
     
         20 . The roller assembly accessory of  claim 15 , wherein inlets are defined between the roller and the guides, and the inlets configured to be in fluid communication with said suction assembly of said cleaning apparatus via passages extending through the support body and a wand, and wherein a conduit is defined in the support body, an outlet to the conduit defined by the support body between the guides, and further wherein the outlet is configured to be in fluid communication with said liquid delivery system of said cleaning apparatus via the conduit.